𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛c𝚎𝚙𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚗𝚘𝚘𝚋 :
The Tornado Intercept Vehicle 1 (TIV 1) is a heavily modified 1997 Ford F-Series F-Super Duty cab & chassis truck used as a storm chasing platform and built by Sean Casey.[1] This heavily armored vehicle can drive into a weak to relatively strong tornado (EF0 to EF3)[citation needed] to film it and take measurements. Work began on the TIV 1 in 2002 and took around eight months to finish, at a total cost of around US$81,000. TIV's armored shell consists of 1/8–1/4 inch steel plate welded to a two-inch square steel tubing frame. The windows are bullet resistant polycarbonate, measuring 1.5 in (38 mm) thick on the windshield and 0.5 in (13 mm) thick on the sides.[2] The TIV 1 weighs approximately 14,000 lb (6,400 kg) fully loaded[3] and is powered by a 7.3 litre Ford Powerstroke turbocharged diesel engine manufactured by Navistar-International, otherwise known as the Navistar T444E.[citation needed]
Before an intercept the front of the vehicle is angled downwards, and four hydraulic claws are lowered into the ground to stabilize the vehicle.[4] The vehicle's top speed is 80 mph (130 km/h).[5] The TIV 1 has a fuel capacity of 60 US gallons (230 L), giving it a range of around 500 miles (800 km). The TIV 1 is featured in a series called Storm Chasers which began airing on the Discovery Channel in October 2007.[6][7] TIV 1 was succeeded in 2008 by TIV 2, but returned to service to finish out the first few chases of the 2008 storm chasing season after TIV 2 suffered mechanical problems. In a June 2011 interview with NPR's All Things Considered, Casey said that TIV 1 was still in service and is designated as the backup vehicle in the event TIV 2 breaks down during a shoot.[8]
After no longer needing the vehicle, Casey abandoned the vehicle on a central Kansas farm.[9] Casey placed the TIV 1 as a prize for a scavenger hunt, where the first one to find the TIV would be able to keep it.[10] Wichita-based storm chaser Robert Clayton found the vehicle in 2020, after searching for it on Google Earth.[11]
In April 2025, TIV 1 was moved from Augies Repair & Towing in Hays, Kansas and back in possession of Robert Clayton. Later that month, Clayton started renovation of t
2026-07-06 13:40:00